Flowers for the Dead
by Exhale Vanilla Lace
Summary: Drabble. On the anniversary of the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke goes to the graves but someone else is there, and it appears that she too is the dead among the living.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto, which is probably for the best considering the amount of drool worthy characters on the show! Lol

**Flowers For the Dead**

_This was the day it happened, this was the day they died, and in doing so, this was the day I too joined the ranks of the dead._

Clouds gathered in a darkening sky as evening folded day in its arms. The streets seemed uncommonly empty now or perhaps that was merely to his eyes. Raven hair fell over abstain eyes shadowing his face from the thoughts and faces that hunted his memory like a plague.

The distant rolling of thunder could be heard, but it fell upon the boys deaf ears. His vision flicked wearily though the greys of his world like a black and white movie gone wrong. He walked, slowly; a banquet of white lilies in his arms, the flowers of mourning.

_A candle for each person… a flower for each grave._

The Uchiha cemetery was huge, and of course it should have been, for every member of the clan rested beneath these grounds. Well, every member except him. The boy thought bitterly.

_And it's you who keeps me going, though my heart has long turned black._

He started at the beginning, letting the lilies fall gradually in front of each stone and knowing he'd find his real family at the end. He only stopped here and there. At the graves of his aunt and uncle, who'd always been kind, and another at his youngest cousin who claimed to be a pacifist? Why kill a pacifist?

It was strange, he thought, as he looked up. There was a light at the end of this line of graves, one he had not noticed before. It was small as though dying, protected only by the shadowing willow tree that hung over head. And there… standing before the graves of his parents was a figure, draped in black, onyx hair falling over its shoulders.

_And for a minute I actually though it was you, brother, my brother, why would you be at the graves on this a cursed day?_

He ran towards the figure stopping as he neared, unsure of what to do, what to say. Should he attack? Normally he wouldn't have given it a second thought, but today was that day, and it alone had always caused him to rethink everything.

"I would weep for this day had I the tears…" The person spoke, it was only now that he realized the figure was a woman. She did not turn to face him as she settled herself against the crook in the roots of the willow.

The light flickered as a droplet of rain made it past the branches and a light drizzle began. The candle was simple and white like the roses that rested on the graves of both his mother and his father. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" He managed. Her young face finally turned towards his own and looked at him with tired coal black eyes.

_And when she looked at me I felt my heart constrict, as though the pain was passing through her eyes, so like mine._

"I am she who has failed to stop the sin and I am here to wonder about the words and actions the have transpired at this place within the last three hours." She replied. She spoke in riddles and sighed at his untrusting gaze before returning her eyes to the candle burning in its place between the graves.

"You thought I was him." His eyes narrowed as she spoke, hiding his shock beneath suspicion. "I am not. Though I do wonder why he came, it could not have been on request. Just as I speak to you, his words are riddles that I am too tired to understand. Too tired…" For someone so young, perhaps only mid teens, she did seem incredible tired and silver threads glinted in streaks though out her black hair. "And he lit the candle though he lit only one. I wonder maybe if he lights the candle for the dead and gone, or for dead and still suffering. I wonder if he lights the candle for himself…"

_What she said struck a cord of wonderment though me, nii-san, why did you come?_

"He was here…" The boy whispered ignoring another roll of thunder. His flowers dropped cascading around the ground and over the graves.

"You came here for a reason Uchiha-san, will you give them your prayers, like your brother?" The boy knelt, his knees feeling the softness of lilies beneath them as he tended to first his mother's grave, then his father's. When he finished he looked back up to find the girl knelt in prayer over not a tombstone, but the candle, its flames flickering eerily in her eyes.

"You bring the flowers of purity and innocents, little Uchiha, and your brother leaves those of secrecy, silence, and truth." A smirk played on her lips, but it was hollow as though the thought was mere irony. "So many things can be said through the petals of a flower." She sighed and whispered to the flame, "Oh dear. Itachi, my love, you will be the death of me." His eyes widened considerably, more so even as she placed three lavender Anemones down on the ground.

_And as she spoke my brother's name she placed the flowers of withered hopes and forsaken love by his candle…_

"You still have hope Uchiha-san, you're brother and I am surely damned. He knows it, I know it… But you have not been drafted to the fate of the dead." She breathed.

"What are you saying?" he asked obstinate eyes locking with obstinate eyes.

"Oh Sasuke, the darkness around your heart is so black, and this cold is choking you. You have life, use it. You have loved ones, precious people, why do you ignore them?" She asked showing her first emotion since his arrival, but emotion was it? Anger, maybe, frustration?

"I am an avenger, I walk that path, and it is too late to stop me." He answered and she closed her eyes shaking her head.

_She seemed to care, though I know not why, seemed to think I still had time._

"There will be no one Sasuke-kun." She sighed a warning. "There will be no one to catch you when you fall, nothing to do when you kill Itachi, no one to love, for you will have destroyed them all. And then what my little Uchiha? Become your brother? Lost?" He didn't answer, nor did he notice how heavy the rain outside the weeping willow had become.

When minuets passed and she received no words she stood, letting petals of white flutter at her actions, and he stood with her, unsure of what would happened next. "You and you're damned Uchiha pride." She sighed. "You too shall receive a flower Uchiha-san. Though not a rose, a lily, nor an anemone." She walked till they stood face to face, her taller then him by a few inches.

Reaching within her cloak she pulled out a light pink Cyclamen. Taking his hand in hers and enclosing it around the delicate flower's steam.

_Her hands were so cold, her skin so soft, as she gave to me a flower of goodbye's and resignation. _

And with that she started to walk away, stopping never turning, only to say, "I truly loved your brother Sasuke-kun and I still do… See ya in hell kid."

"Who are you?" He asked again, with awe and confusion that increased only as she chuckled lightly, but continued to disappear beneath the sheets of rain.

"I am she who has failed to stop the sin."

_She was so hollow, so dead, like me, and yet she loved my brother, how strange that woman was. And I met on this day… This was the day it happened, this was the day they died, and in doing so, this was the day I too joined the ranks of the dead._

_**Fin**_

**A/N: **So what'd ya think? I told you it was a useless drabble didn't I. If I didn't I ment too! Hee hee. Depending on the reviews I may very well write a little something going for my oc and itachi. It would probably end sad though considering this. I rather like it myself, please I do love reviews! Oh here's the flower thing for those of you who give a damn.

**Cyclamen**  
Resignation and good-bye**Rose (white)**  
Worthiness, secrecy and silence, truth 

**Lily, white**  
A symbol of purity and sweetness.

**Anemone**  
Withered hopes, a forsaken love.


End file.
